Apparatus for preserving wood.



G. B. S'HIPLEY. APPARATUS FOR PRESBRVNG WOOD.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 31,1911. 1,081,158. Patent-,ed 1380.9, 1913.

G. B. SHIPLEY.

APPARATUS P0P. PRBSERVING Woon.

APELIGATION FILED JULY 31,1911.

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@naar s. entrenar, or MILWAUKEE', wisconsin.

APPARTS liR PRE'SERVNG WC.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee.v 9, IMI-lt,

' application ined Jury a1., 1an. seria-1 No. 641,463.

To all wwm t may concern.'

Be it known that l, GRAN-'r B. SHIPLEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented a neyv and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Preserving' Wood; and l do hereby de'- clare the following` to be afull, clear, and

exact description thereof.

My invention relates to the preserving or creosoting of Wood, such as Wooden railroad ties. llt-s object is to provide suitable apparatus by which the amount of preservative' orcreosoting fluid injected into and remaining in the Wood canbe moreA accurately and readily' measured than heretofore,v and at less expense, and in. general to improve on 'the practice previously followed in the art.

Various processes have been employed in the past in preserving vvood by forcing the desired quantity ot antiseptic, such as coal tar creosote, zinc chlorid, or other fungus destroying material into the Wood, usually ties or timber the main object of such processes being to thoroughly' impregnato the cells of the Wood with the antiseptic fluid Without leaving too Great an excess of fluid Within the' cells, the latter contingency causing obviously added expense Without appreciabliy increasing the efficiency of thel result. 'llius in one Well` known method, the Wood is incased in a; treating cylinder', which is then Sealed and Within which the air pressure is raised to from Lit) to 80' pounds per square inch. or more or less as required Without releasing1 this pressure', the creosote or pre serving fluid is allowed to dow from a separate pressure tan-k or reservoir, at the same interior air pressure, into the treating: cylinder by gravity, and hence into the woody under the air pressure, the air being displacedf and' returned to the reservoir or pressure tank.- Further creosote `is then forced into the' Wood by a pressure pump which re ceives its supply from a separate open measuring tank.l When; the desired quantity of preservative, as indicated by the measuringI tank, isA forced into the Wood in accordance withl this method, thel pressure pump is then stopped and the creosote' .either pumped or blown back by airto the reservoir or drained into the underground: tank. The treating cylinder is then closedl and'. the' surplus creosot'e drained by suction fromK the Wood. After the vacuum is competed, the vaflfves on the'y treating cylinderare again openedand the creosote either pumped or' blown back by air to the reservoir or drained into the underground tank, the treated Wood being thenI ready for' use. rl`his practice, as wel-l as all others, so far as l am informed, depends on the volume measurement oli the' creosote which is forced into the' Woodi for estimating' the amount of thev same so em ploy'ed, and hence the extent. of the process. As a diiierence of 22g@ li. in temperature means in general a difference of l per cent.- in volume, and hence' substantially inverse-ly in Weight of coa-:l tar creosote, and as di'erl ences of 65o to 1000 bet-Ween the temperate `ture of the creosote in the openf measuring tarn-ks andl that the treating cylinder andv in the pr'essure tank are usually present, it' ifs' apparent that the amouifitl of preservative forced int-o the Wood cannot be accurately measured by any of the' processes in'` which it is virilumetrically nieasi-ired in an open tank.

In the' preferred practice of; my inventionl l therefore employ a tank or' reservoir in which the preserving. Huid is carried under the' desired air pressure, the said tank heilig' coupled or joined by flexible' connections to thel treating cylinder' or retort and to' the storage tank or source of preserving tiuid, and mounted on Weighing apparatus orf scales so that the aanonnt of creosiotev or other' preserving Huid in it can be accurately weighed at any stage of the operation-.1 As'- ll believe the employment of such means to be essential to the practice of such' improved process the' same is claimedherein.

ln the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side view of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 isy a plan View of the same. Fig; 3i is' ar detail: end vievv o. a larger scale showing a tank platform and scales illustrated in Fig. Fig. t is a detail vertical section on an enlarged sca-le' of the top or dome of one' of the ressure tanks.

ln tlfe said drawings, the fluid preservatives, such as liquid coal tar creosotev is stored in the storage' tank l from Whic'hileads the supply pipe 2 having the' vaive- 2P and' connecting with the header 3?. The @m2 eral service pump t is connected with' saihdf`- header 3 by pipes 5, and isarranged to* pump Huid through the storage' tanltsupi' ply pipes 6, 7, provided with the valves 6',- 7, respectively, to thereservoirs or pressure v` Working tanks 221 and 523i The' pipes 6 and?? respectively are shawn .to the compressor pump 51.

as connected to the reservoir pipes 16 and 17 respectively, the said reservoir pipes being provided with the valves 16 and 17 respectively. These reservoir vpipes '16, 17 have suitable elbow portions 18 and 19, respectively, which are provided with the flexible couplings 20, 21, respectively. These couplings 20, 21 are suitable metallic universal couplings of any desired type, that known as the Moran joint being entirely adequate for the purpose.

The portions 18, 19 respectively of the elbow pipes 18 and 19 are rigidly attached to the working tanks 22 and 23, respectively.

.-' These reservoirs are in all respects similar,

two being employed merely for purposes of convenience; and each is provided at its upper end with a hood 24 communicating with a pipe connection 25 as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4. The pipe connection 25 is provided with the valve seat 26 against which seats the ball oat valve 27, including the ball fioat 28, the valve stem 29, the spring 30, lever 31 and weight 32. As the' valve 27 is upwardly closing under the inuence of the ball 28, spring 30 and weight 32, the spring being adjustable by the spring cap nut 30', the valve 27 acts to close or seal the particular tank 22 or 23 to which it is applied against the entrance of compressed air through the pipes 34 or 35, respectively. The pipes 34 and 35 are provided respectively with the flexible couplings 36 and 37 similar to the coupling Joints 20, 21, above referred to, and are connected by the elbows 34 and 35 to the vertical pipes 38 and 39, respectively, having horizontal portio-ns 38 and 39 connected to the header ipe 40. The pipe 40 communicates with t e vacuum pumps 41 and also with the pipe 54 leading from the air receiver 50, connected by the pipe 52 The pipe 40 also communicates by its elbow portion 40 with the treating cylinder or retort 42. This cylinder or retort 42 is arranged preferably in horizontal position and is connected directly to the vertically arranged pressure working tanks 22 and 23 through the tank pipes 16 and 17 respectively, by the connecting pipes 43 and 44, respectively. The pipes 43 and 44 are provided with the valves 43,44 having the elongated stems 43a, 43b by which they can be conveniently controlled by the operator working the handA wheels 43C and 43d, respectively. The treating cylinder 42 is also connected to the source of preserving fluid or pipe 6 leading therefrom through the pipe 46, pump 47 and pipe 48 provided with a valve 48. Asv illustrated the pump 47 is likewise connected to the pipe 7 leading from the source of preserving uid by the pipe 49 provided with the valve 49. The valves 48 and 49 are provided with the depending valve stems 48a and 48b having the hand wheels 48c and 48d so as to be conveniently accessible to an operator standing in convenient position below the tanks 22 and 23 to operate the valves 43 and 44 referred to above.

Compressed air is conveniently supplied to the pressure working tanks 22, 23 and to the treating reservoir 42 from the receiver 50 in which it is stored by the air 'compressor pump 51 communicating therewith through the pipe 52. The pipe 53 leads directl from the receiver 50 and comnections 34, 38, 38', and 35, 39, and 39, respectively also connect with the header pipe 40, the pipes 38 and 39 being provided respectively with the valves 38a and 39a.

The pipe 40 is provided also with the valve 40, so that when this valve is closed, and the 'valves 38a and 39a are open, compressed air :municates with the connecting pipe 54which .joins the header pipe 40. The pipe conmay be directed fromthe reservoir 50 through the pipes- 53, 54, 40 and 38', 39,

and treating cylinder or retort 42; so that' when the valve 40a is opened' as well as the valves 38a and 39a compressed air will enter all three cylinders from the receiver 50 or air compressor 51 and produce an equal pressure therein, for the purpose described more fully below. The treating cylinder 42 is provided with a removable end door 60, which may besealed when it is desired to close the cylinder and opened when it is desired to remove or insert wood or timber therein. The trackway 61 extends also preferably within the cylinder 42, as indicated in Fig. 1. The storage reservoirs or pressure tanks 22 and 23 are carried, in accordance with my invention, on the scale pans 65, 66, respectively, which are formed conveniently of I-beams 65 and 66 resting on the transverse beams 65 and 66". The scale pans 65 and 66 are each supported on suitable platforms and levers, those supporting the pans 65 being illustrated diagrammatically at 71 in Fig. 3. The scale pan 65 is also connected by the rod 7 2 to the arm 73 of the weighing device 74; and the scale pan 66 is connected byl asimilar rod 75 to the arm 7 6 of the weighing device 77. The

weighing devices 74 and 77 are provided with suitable means such as scale beams 74 or 77 for accurately measuring the weight of the tanks or reservoirs 22 and 23, respectively, with their contents. As the weight 1n. each. instanom. I thus provide simple means for accurately weighing the preservinguid in eachpressure-tank at any stage of the operation. The treating cylinder 42 isfalso connected bythe return pipe 80 contnolledby the valve 80. to the storage'tank 1 through the elbow valve 2b of the pipe 2, as.illustrated,.for the purpose. of returning the preservative fluid directly to such tank L inan' alternative practice of my invention, as described` below.

In the use of my invention, assumlng that the treat' retort 42 is entirely empty, the timber is rst filled into the same, preferably asuitable can on the trackway 61 being utilized, and the treating cylinder 42 then sealedfby the cap 60. The creosoting or pre serving fluid is tllen or previously pumped by. the general service pump 34 from the storage tank 1 through the pipes 6 and 7 into the tanks 22 and 28, res ectively. In this operation the valves 6 and 7 are openedin the apparatus just described, and the fluid, in reaching the tank 22 for instance, passes through the pipe 6 and tank pipe 16 sssingthe valve 16', which is also open an through the elbow pipe 18', including the flexible connection 20l to the tank 22, the valves 43 and 48 being closed during; this step. This pumping operation is continueduntil the desired weight of fluid, as indicated by the weighing devices 74 and 7.7 isobtained in each tank 22, 23. The desired uniform pressure of say. 4()4 to 80 pounds per square inch is then produced within both the tanks 22, 23, and the treating cylinder 42 by allowing air to pass from the receiver to both the tanks and the treating cylinder. As indicated above in the apparatus shown this is accomplished by closing the valves 43 and 44', and opening the valves 54a in the pipe 54 and the valves 40%, 39@ and 38a in the pipes 40, 39 and 38 respectively.v The valves 43', 44 may then be opened, the valves 6', 7 being closed, and the preserving liquid allowed to run down by gravity into the treating cylinder 42.

i rlhus in its course. from the tank 22 the liquid passes through the elbow pipe 18, inclu ing the flexible joint 20, the pipe 16, including the valve 16, and the pipe 43 into the treating cylinder 42. As the pressure is substantially the same in the tank and the treating cylinder 42 due to the previous operation of introducing air into each of them from the receiver'() and past the controlling valves 27, 27 and 57, respec- I es tively, it is apparent that the preserving liquid will flow freely downwardly into the retort 42,v until it is full, closing the ioatvalve 57 (similar to valve 27) in the dome 56 when it has filled the cylinder 42 and being forced into the wood by whatever air pressure is present in the tank, say 40 to 80 l and forced 'by pounds to, the square, inch. A considerable quantity of fluid is thus injected intothe l wood, the amount thereof being preferably ascertained asdescribed below.

As the tanks 22 and 23 are flexibly conl nected to the pipes 1638 and 17, 39 bythe Hexible couplings 20 and 36V and 21 and 3.7

, in the elbow. pipes 18f'and 34v and 19 and 35, respectively, the scale beams 1 spectively indicate the weight of fluid in the 74. and 77 retanks 22 and 23 at any desired stage of the j operation.. In general, however, the fluid re l maining in each tank as 22, 23, is carefully -weighed after its free flow under constant f pressure in eachtank 22, 23 has ceased. The

amount of fluid which has passed into the treating cylinder 42 under constant pressure is; thereby indicated. The desired amount of additional preserving fluid is then forced into the treating retort 42 and wood within the same by means of the iluid pressure `pump 47. The valves 48 and 49 in the pipes 48, 49`leading to this pump 47 from the pipes 43 and 44 respectively, are then opened bv turning'the hand Wheels 48 and 48d, respectively, the valves 43 and 44 having been closed as by turning the hand wheels 43, and 43L,.respectively. rIlhe pump 47 being then set in action, the preserving liquid is sucked through the pipes 48 and 49 the pump through the pipe 46 into the retort 42. This-results in forcing the liquid at: high pressure into the Wood within the retort 42, and the operation is carried on until the required Weightof such 1 liquid as measured by the scales 74 Aand 77, has been forced into the Wood. The operation of the pump 47 is then stopped.

The succeeding steps may be carried on aci conding to the particular mode ofv treatment followed, one form consisting in draining the fluid in the retort 42 back into the storage tank 1 by opening the valves 80 in the pipe inthe apparatus shown and closing the valve 48 and 49 in the pipes 48 and 49. The pressure of the air remaining in'the cyl-- iuder 42 aids in this step by expelling the fluid; and the-service pump 4' (shown da grammatically as connected to the return 'pipe 80) being in general subsequently employed in reversed operation to suck or draw remainingv excess Huid from the wood in the cylinder- 42 through the pipe 80 back to the storage tank. Ifdesired, however, especially Whereitis required to ascertain the amount of fluid remainingr in the wood with the greatest accuracy, the pump 47 may simply be reversed, the valves 6 and 7 remaining closed, and the valves 48 and 49 remaining open; and the fluid pumped out of the retort 42 and back through the pipes 48 and 49 and 16 and 17 into the tanks 22 and 23. This operation is continued until the treating retort 42 is entiretyr empty of preserving fluid or creosote; and the amount of fluid returned to the tanks 22 and 23 measured by Weighing the same. The operation of the pump 47 may then be continued, and excess fluid i-n 'the Wood sucked out 5 therefrom and returned to the tanks 22 and 23, wherein it is accurately weighed. The required amount of preservative actually forced into and remaining in the Wood is therefore readily ascertained. The door cap 1o G0 is then opened and the treated Wood removed therefrom. Thereafter the cycle of operations may be repeated in the above manner or as suitably'modified When so desired. In fact it will be understood that my invention includes broadly the Weighing of the preserving fluid as distinguished from measuring the same vclumetrically, and more specifically the Weighing of the fluid in the same tank that from which it has been fed b.y gravity to the Wood being treated in accordance With the preferred method described above. As the price of the finished product depends in each case essentially upon the amount of preserving material injected into the same, by ascertaining the exact Weight of preservative so employed, influenced by variations in temperature in different parts ofthe apparatus, Iv

thus increase the commercial efficiency of the operation.

What I claim is: i 1. In apparatus for preserving Wood, the combination with a retort for Wood, a source of preservative fluid, a lmeasuring tank, means for conveying fluid from said source to said tank, means for Weighing the contents of said tank, means for producing uniform pressures in said tank and retort in excess of atmospheric pressure, means for conducting preserving fluid after Weighing the same in said tank to said retort, and separate pressure means for conveying additional fluid to said retort under pressure in excess of that existing in said retort.

t5 2. In apparatus for preserving Wood, the combination with a retort for Wood, a source of preservative fluid, a measuring tank, means for conveying fluid from said source to said tank, means for Weighing the contents of said tank, means for producing uniforml pressures in said tank and retort in excess of atmospheric pressure, means for conducting i preserving fluid after Weighing the same in said tank to said retort, and means for conveying additional fluid to said retort under pressure in excess of that existing in said retort, and means for returning excess fluid from said retort to said source.

In apparatus for preserving Wood, the

combination with a retort for Wood, a source of preservative fluid, a measuring tank,

'means for conveying fluid from said source to said tank, means for weighing the contents of said tank, means for producing uniform pressure in said tank and retort in excess of atmospheric ressure, means for conductingpreservingv uid after Weighing the same Vin said tank to `said retort, and means for conveying additional fluid to said retort under pressure in excess ofthat exist/ing in said retort, and means for returning excess fluid from said retort to said y measuring tank for revveighing. el. In apparatus for preserving wood, the combination with a retort for Wood, asource of preservative fluid, a measuring tank, means for conveying fluid from said source to said tank, means for Weighing the contents of said tank, means for producing uniform pressures in said tank and retort in excess of atmospheric pressure, means for conducting preserving fluid after Weighing the same in said tank to said retort, and means for conveying additional fluid to said retort under pressure in excess of that existing in said retort, and means for returning excess fluid from said retort to said measuring tank for revveighing, and means for returning the revveighed fluid to said source.

5. In apparatus for preserving Wood, the combination of a retort for Wood and a source of preserving fluid, a measuring tank for said fluid, a source of pressure for conveying fluid from-its source to said tank, a Weighing scale supporting said tank whereby the varying Weights of fluid Within said tank may be determined, a second source of pressure for producing uniform pressures in said tank and retort in excess of atmospheric pressure,means for conveying fluid from said tank to said retortl under said uniform pressures, and means for conveying additional quantities of saidfluid from said tank to said retort at a pressure in excess of said uniform pressure.

6. In apparatus for preserving Wood, the combination of the retort'for Wood and a source of preserving fluid, a measuring tank for said fluid, a source ofpressure for conveying fluid from its source to said tank, a Weighing scale supporting said tank Whereby the varying Weights of fluid Within said tank may be determined, a second source of pressure for producing uniform pressures in said tank and retort in excess of atmospheric pressure, means for conveying fluid from said tank to said retort under said uniform pressures, and meansv for conveying additional quantities of said fluid from said tank to said retort at a pressure in excess of said uniform pressure, and means for returning excess luid from said retort to said tank for reweighing.

7 In apparatus for preserving wood, the 125 combination of a retort for Wood, and a source of preserving fluid', la measuring tank for said fluid, a source of pressure for conveying fluid from its source to said tank, a weighing scale supporting said tank whereby the Varyin Weights of Huid Within said tank may be etermned, a second source of pressure for producing uniform pressures in said tank and retort in excess of atmospherie pressure, means for conveying fluid from said tank to said retort under said uniform pressures, and means for conveying additional quantities of said fiuid from said tank to said retort at a pressure in excess of J said uniform pressure, and means for returning excess fluid from said retort to said tank for reweighmg, and means for returnlng the iuid 1n said tank to said source ot fluid. a

In testimony whereof, I the said GRANT 1 B. SHIPLEY have hereunto set my hand.

GRANT B. SHIPLEY. Witnesses:

ROBERT C. TOTTEN, J. R. KELLER. 

